5769 - New Year For All

On Rosh Hashana, we wish everyone a good new year, even those who are not descendants of Avraham, Yitzhak and Yaakov, as it says in Mesechet Rosh Hashana 1:2 בראש השנה כל באי עולם עוברין לפניו כבני מרון (on Rosh Hashana, all who come to the world pass before Him like "בני מרון").

But, putting the needs of the other nations aside, we Jews have much to pray for this year as the world is a very scary place. What will happen this coming year? Will Iran get nukes? Will the US or Israel strike it first? If such an operation is not 100% successful, will that be an excuse for an attack ח"ו against Israel? Will such an attack start World War 3? Will Sderot be protected? Or will it continue to suffer numerous rocket attacks? Will Hizbolah try another stunt and start a war in the North? Will Hamas in Gaza start a war in the South? Will Gilad Shalit finally come home? Will Jonathan Pollard's sentence finally be commuted so he can come home? Will the truth finally be learned about all the other MIAs of Israel? Will Israel have enough rain this year to avert a major water crisis? Will we all be able to learn more Torah this year? Will we all be able to do more Hesed this year? Will we all be healthy this year? How much money will we make this year to serve Hashem better? Will the Cubs win the Series? (sorry, I had to throw that in there) Will we, as a people, minimize Hillul Hashem in the newspapers as much as possible? Will we show more Ahdut with each other, no matter what size, color, or material of Kippa the other guy wears, or lack thereof? Will we finally see a Beit Hamikdash with the Shechina resting therein? Will the Ge'ula Shelaima, for which we've been waiting throughout the existance of the Jewish People, finally arrive?

ובריות בו יפקדו להזכירם לחיים ולמוות

These are the unknowns of the year. Unknown to us, that is. And these are the reasons we pray on Rosh Hashana. May our prayers be answered.

תהא שנת סימן טוב
במוצאי שביעית בן דוד בא

Wishing all the readers of this blog a כתיבה וחתימה טובה - may we all be inscribed in the Book of Life, and may this year bring us health, prosperity, and the arrival of משיח צדקינו, Amen.